TITUSVILLE, Fla. – Both the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams completed their 5K races in the 10th-annual flrunners.com meet, Friday evening from Chain of Lakes Park. The men closed the contest with an eighth-place finish and a team score of 181 points; while the women continued to make strides, closing the race with a fifth-place finish and a team score of 151.

Individually for the Saint Leo men, Michael Berry ran a terrific race, finishing 33rd overall with a time of 17:48.16. He also claimed the top-spot for the Green & Gold, the second time this season he has done so. Junior Matt Attal was nearly step-for-step with his teammate, finishing 36th overall and time of 17:54.94. Freshman Eric Dirth was also impressive, closing the night just three spots behind Attal in 39th-place and a time of 18:06.38. Carson Holton finished with a time of 21:42.61. Newcomers Robert Tester (23:00.49), David Marcello (23.55.19), and Jeremy Doty (24.02.15) rounded out the Lions’ runners.

Cameron Marantz, who ran as an unattached runner was the top finisher on the men’s side, finishing the race with a time of 14:53.20. However, Florida Gulf Coast took home the team title from the event with a total score of 35, squeaking out a one-point victory over Nova Southeastern. Fellow conference school, Rollins, had a sixth-place finish with a team score of 150.

For the Lions’ women, Kelsey Bradley continued to make her mark on the course as she closed the evening as the Lions’ women’s top-finisher. She concluded competition 26th overall with a time of 20:17.75. Freshman Tanja Redmond was also impressive as she finished in the top one-third of the field in 35th-place and time of 20:47.59. Allison Luthman cracked the top-40 in the 99 person field, finishing the race with a time of 21:20.33.

Freshmen Emily Egan and Mariah Moss also ran notable races for the Lions’ squad, crossing the finish line with times of 22:00.66 and 22:34.24, respectively. Dana Graham ended the race with a time of 23.02.14 and Allison Cary executed her meet in a time of 23.33.32. Junior Emily Zambito rounded the Lions’ effort finishing with a time of 24:18.39.

Overall for the women, Division I opponent Jacksonville University captured the team win with a score of 15. Jacksonville’s Elsabeth Goshu also took home the individual title, finishing the race 15 seconds ahead of fellow JU teammates with a time of 18:01.49. Nova Southeastern wrapped up action just one spot in front of the Lions in fourth, while Rollins finished ninth.

Both teams will now prepare for their first morning trek of the 2009 season, as they compete in the Disney Invitational on Saturday, October 10. The men will hit the track at 7:45 a.m. with the women to follow with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start.